Non‐technical summary  The enteric nervous system (ENS) is an autonomous nervous system integrated along the gut that controls major gastrointestinal (GI) functions such as motility. Increasing data have demonstrated that nutritional factors can modulate the ENS phenotype and consequently impact upon GI functions. Western diet is central in the development of obesity but surprisingly no study has characterized its impact upon ENS phenotype and functions. We show that Western diet‐induced obesity (DIO) prevented age‐associated loss in a specific population of enteric neurons leading to an acceleration of gastric emptying. In addition, we showed that neuroprotective effects of DIO likely involved leptin and glial cell line‐derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). This is the first study demonstrating an impact of DIO upon the ENS. These DIO‐induced neuroplastic changes in the ENS could be involved in the physiopathology of obesity.